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Google Introduces Two New iOS And Android Apps: Allo And Duo

Thanks for these goodies to Google, just keep on coming of this year’s Google I/O conference. Developers and technology enthusiasts will get to spend the rest of the week meeting Google engineers and dropping in on a variety of workshops designed to introduce the future of technology. After announcing Alexa-powered Amazon Echo rival Google Home and Google Assistant, yet again it hasn’t disappointed with the introduction of Google Allo and Google Duo, two new apps coming to iOS and Android this summer.

Google Allo

Google’s new Allo messaging app runs on the same encryption tech that powers WhatsApp, and its main feature is a Google Assistant that’s built-in right in. Evidently from this year’s developer conference, it seems like Google is getting a bit serious about communications. The latest example of that agenda comes in the form of Google Allo, a smart messaging application that ships with intelligent learning algorithms, and powered by the recently announced Assistant technology. Complete with an “incognito” mode, the new chat app called Allo boasts full end-to-end encryption.

On a very basic level, Allo gives users the ability to communicate in real-time like most instant messaging type applications. There’s a text-based chat, animated graphics and varying sized text to make messages fun and unique. Allo also packs Smart Suggestions, which only become smarter and easier as your use of the messaging app progresses.

The development of Allo’s incognito mode, and the resulting feature will be built on top of the company’s open Signal protocol, where the company has been collaborating together on the integration of a Signal protocol into Allo, which will bring al of Signal Protocol’s strong encryption properties to Allo’s incognito mode. There’s the ability to enlist the help of Google to communicate with additional power. The Signal protocol is available under an open-source license and which already serves as the backbone for a number of popular chat products.

Users will be able to interact with Google Assistant to instantly plan events, purchase things directly from Google and say to one another. With Allo being yet another bow in the company’s consumer-facing arsenal, Google is generally considered top-dog when it comes to getting info and presenting it to the user. Messages sent in Allo are not end-to-end encrypted by default, and users can switch seamlessly between private and unprotected channels, which by far led to some concern that users might send messages by mistake.

Allo is scheduled to be released later this summer. The app for iOS and Android has been unveiled today with a launch expected soon.

Google Duo

Welcomed with the introduction of Allo and Duo, Hangouts will remain as a separate app in Google’s ecosystem. Releasing a new video calling app later this summer, called Google Duo. It’s probably the fastest and simplest video calling application. Thanks to Google and its engineering team. In addition to Allo, Google has also used its I/O 2016 keynote to announce a new simple video calling app ‘Duo’. Took the wraps off a new app where video calling services seem to be engineered to be overly complex and difficult in a world, Duo takes that pain away by being super faster offering a mobile-only service that uses the user’s mobile telephone number as a unique identifier. That’s Insane!

Mobile first and mobile only! It’s the Google Duo, that works on both the iOS and Android using your phone number as an identifier. It is almost seems silly to describe it, but here goes. When you open it, you’re greeted with a selfie-cam video preview of yourself. Check your hair, then tap one of the giant circled photos below to start a FaceTime call – or scroll up on the panel to see more contacts. You call, a person on the other end of the line answers, and you’re having a video chat now. Additional option includes these, you can mute your microphone, you can flip the camera. You can’t do a video conference, though.

In an effort to make the whole experience as streamlined and fast as possible, Google steps forward to have forgotten about introducing a user-interface for users to interact with. On launch, you will surely get an immediate view of yourself from the front-facing camera. There’s then a bunch of cylindrical icons that each represents a phonebook. Tapping on one of those icons instantly invokes a video call with that person. Great!

Google although spent its time on something more important: making Duo crazy fast. The premiere feature however, is only available on Android, is that when you’re receiving a call you see a live video of the person calling you right on your lock screen. When you answer, the video call is already going – damn instantly.

This new Duo app also packs a neat Knock Knock feature which lets users preview a live video feed of the caller before answering the call. Calls will be in 720p with HD audio, but will automatically adjust video quality depending on the network strength. One more trick — it’s able to seamlessly handle your phone switching from Wi-Fi to cellular and back again without dropping the call.

What’s easier to say is that Duo is taking on Apple’s FaceTime. Duo is faster and it’s cross-platform, and unfortunately, it’s also mobile-only initiative and it is one more app you’ll need to convince your friends and family to install. Accept that! It optimized webRTC and connects the calls using QUIC over UDP for a much faster initial end-to-end encrypted connection.

And there you have it. Again a simple, super-efficient video calling experience from Google that has been built to be instantly fast.

Here’s everything you need to know about new Duo – a video calling app.

Both Allo and Duo will make their way into the public domain this summer for iOS and Android.